Two Stand Alone
by DeadlyTigerwolfClaw
Summary: One was a noble and the other was a homeless orphan, yet they both fell due to the same horrible circumstances. One almost gave up but the other taught him how to stand, and since they have fought together in order to protect what was important to them. Dawn Brigade fic, Leonardo and Edward centric. Warnings for violence.
1. Prologue

**A/N**

**This is about Leonardo and Edward's life when they were younger, focusing mainly on Leonardo though the points of view will change occasionally from chapter to chapter. It is based around the designer's notes and the in-game script.**

**For the sake of getting down a lot of backstory in less than a novel-length itself, the first few chapters are extremely fast-paced and go through a lot of information. It will slow down once I get to the main story, however.**

**It will probably be a very long fanfic no matter how far I actually get into the story, so bear with me and be prepared for that. I will update when I can. Warnings for violence later on.**

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The young boy sat quietly at the table, staring down at the plate in front of him. His shoulder-length blond hair was draped in front of his face, hiding his somber expression from his three family members that sat at the table in the same silence. He wasn't hungry, and didn't even make the effort to eat anything, no matter how much his family prodded him.

"Leonardo, you have to eat something," the middle-aged woman to his left spoke softly to the young boy. Her voice was calm and collected, but her curly, strawberry-blonde hair couldn't hide the strain on her face as it was hidden on his. The two other members, one on Leonardo's right and the other across from him, glanced over as well. The older man across from him gave a small grunt of agreement, he himself working on his own meal. His blond hair was short and was beginning to thin and gray; and he had a strong facial structure that helped to suggest he had been through a lot in his lifetime. Leonardo looked up to them, but his blue eyes were still hidden.

"I don't feel like eating..." he answered quietly. The woman sighed to herself and closed her eyes, more worry spreading across her face.

"Listen to your mother, Leonardo," the man across from him spoke up. "There is no need for you to starve yourself."

"Yeah, kiddo," the young man to his right spoke next. "It will be all right, you'll see. So calm down a little!" Out of the other three people sitting around the table, this was the person Leonardo most closely resembled. He had long blond hair as he did, and it was tied back in a neat ponytail. Their eye-colours were even of the same blue. Leonardo looked over to him, and the young man smiled back reassuringly. After another moment of silence, the boy finally decided to look back to his plate and start picking at his food.

After dinner, the family stood and left the table to be taken to by the maids, and went off into their own rooms. Leonardo quietly retreated to his own, and walked over to the tall window that seemed to split the far wall down the middle. He carefully lit the candles that stood on the small table below the window, then hopped up onto the wide, stone windowsill to look off into the darkness. The glass was cold, mirroring the temperature outside, but the boy rested his head against it anyway. The flicker of the candles reflected off the glass and into his vision, mixing with the light of the nearly full moon and stars. Despite that, everything was dark and still in the village down the road that occupied Leonardo's gaze.

The sudden sound of the wooden door creaking open made the boy tear his eyes from the window. He looked over the other side of the room to see the young man entering, closing the door more gracefully behind him. He looked up to the boy and smiled slightly at him, then made his way over. "Hey, kiddo..." Leonardo looked up at him, not bothering to hide the sadness in his eyes.

"... Hello, Latimer..." the boy responded quietly. The young man smiled a little more at him, leaning against the wall next to the window. Leonardo glanced in his direction for a short moment before returning his gaze to the darkness outside. Silence fell between them for several seconds before the older decided to speak again.

"It's going to be all right, you know," he said softly. Leonardo closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the cold glass.

"How do I know that for sure?" he asked, his voice quiet and full of distress. "Nothing can be certain..." Latimer sighed, looking up towards the ceiling.

"That is true. But father and me are strong, we will be fine. And at the very least, you shouldn't be focusing your energy on worrying about us." Latimer pushed away from the wall and turned to Leonardo, placing a comforting hand gently on the younger boy's head. The boy turned slightly to look up at Latimer, who then smiled kindly back at him.

"... Do you have to go?" Leonardo asked, his voice beginning to waver. Latimer's smile fell and was replaced by a more serious, yet still understanding, expression.

"The army needs more men, Leo, and we can fight. Not only that, but we are stronger than many of the men they already have. Of course we have to go," Latimer explained. He gently patted the top of Leonardo's head. "But as I said, we will be all right." Leonardo began to speak, but fell silent, only nodding quietly in response. Latimer's smile returned to his face for a moment, and he stepped away from Leonardo. "Well, I suppose I should get some sleep. You should, too." The older man turned and started towards the door. Leonardo watched after him, shifting his body around to hop down from the window ledge.

"So you leave in three days...?" he asked quietly. Latimer stopped at the door long enough to answer with a short nod, then left after a moment of silence fell between them. Leonardo stared at the still door as his eyes began to well up. He brought a hand up to his face, covering one of his eyes as if it would stop the tears, hoping that the worry and strain that filled them didn't start to overflow down his cheeks. The boy then turned to his bed, making his way over and laying down in an attempt to further ignore them.

The next morning, the family was quiet once again. His parents whispered amongst themselves in their quarters, while himself and Latimer hung around outside. A light dusting of snow covered the ground and the air still bit with some of the cold that had been there the previous night. Leonardo looked down the road that led to the town while Latimer turned a small stone around in his hand. "So, how is your training coming along?" Latimer asked the younger boy.

"Well," he responded. "I have been getting a little better..." Latimer smiled at him, then threw the small stone out in front of him, watching as it skipped along the ground.

"That's good. Make sure you keep practicing, and you will get even better in no time."

"I will." Leonardo looked up at Latimer, and the older one smiled back.

"You might even be able to catch up with me before too long," Latimer remarked, patting Leonardo on the head.

"I don't think so... You are really strong," he said, looking back to the road.

"Yeah, but you can catch up. After all, you're already pretty strong. I'm sure you can become a first-class archer if you keep working at it," Latimer encouraged him.

"Thank you..." Leonardo smiled to himself, but sadness still shown in his eyes, and the smile quickly faded. "I... I'm going to miss you." Latimer looked down to him, resting an arm around his shoulders.

"I know, kiddo. I'll miss you, too. But you can't worry yourself too much. All right? You're my little brother; it's my job to worry about you." Latimer smiled reassuringly at him. "All right?" Leonardo nodded very slightly, but said nothing in return. Latimer patted his shoulder before pulling away from him and starting back towards the front door of their estate. "Good. Now, let us get back inside before we catch a cold." Leonardo looked over to his older brother, still having trouble erasing the negativity in his expression, and soon followed after him. Latimer held the heavy wooden door open for the boy before entering himself, and Leonardo nodded his thanks to him.

The two of them moved slowly through the estate with a rare silence falling between them. Leonardo kept his head down as he walked, watching the stones that made up the floor. Even though the two older men hadn't even left yet, the family was beginning to feel the effects of their absence. The whole estate had been all but completely silent; even the servants barely spoke amongst themselves.

As Leonardo and Latimer approached their rooms, they turned to each other to exchange a few words of parting before retiring to their separate chambers. The younger boy then closed his door behind him, and made his way to the large window as he usually did. The snow had once again started to fall, and the road to the village was distorted slightly with the fog. Leonardo sighed quietly to himself as he stared into the distance through the frosted glass. It was only two days now until everything changed.

Leonardo stood silently next to his mother, looking up to his father and older brother who stood in front of them. The older men both looked so strong, with their armor and weapons and determined looks on their faces. Today, they had to leave to fight for their country. Leonardo clenched his fists, looking down slightly. Part of him was still worried to death and would trade anything if it meant they didn't have to go. But another part of him was proud to have them as his father and brother, to have people that wanted to fight for the peace and safety of the people as he did when he was older. The boy stared down at the frost-covered ground, being all but completely unable to look back up. Latimer took a short step forward, resting his hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"Stay safe, all right?" he said to him gently. "And get stronger. I know that you can." Leonardo only nodded slightly in response, still not looking up to him. His father was the next to speak.

"And be good to your mother when you are at home," he stated simply. Leonardo nodded again. Latimer released the boy's shoulder and stepped back to his father. The older men exchanged one last glance with their family before turning and making their way down the small path to their horses. Leonardo held off from looking to them until he knew they were already too far to turn back, and once he did, he found it hard to look away.

The woman and her son stood there for moments after the others were gone, their silence still lingering in the cold air. It was only when the cold began to get unbearable that the woman finally moved, slowly turning to return to the estate. Leonardo turned his head to her then, watching after her for a moment before following after, closing the heavy doors behind them. They still didn't speak to each other, and instead retired to their own quarters. A maid followed after the lady, probably to calm and comfort her, but Leonardo returned to his own room alone. He hopped back up onto the window sill where he spent so much of his free time, looking back down the road. He sighed slightly to himself, already awaiting the day that his father and brother returned.

The silence that enveloped the estate now was not exactly rare, but in this particular circumstance, it was almost haunting. The lady of the house quietly sipped her tea, her maid standing next to her, as she waited for her youngest son to enter the room. She looked up to him when he did, his quiver and bow that he had received from his brother in hand. The boy nodded politely to her, and she smiled slightly back to him.

"You really are starting to look like your brother..." she stated with a tired voice. The boy nodded again, but had nothing to say in response. The woman's smile faded as she took another sip of her tea. Setting her cup back down, she closed her eyes calmly before speaking again. "I know that it is hard for you there, Leonardo... But you will be fine." Leonardo bowed his head slightly.

"... Thank you..." he said simply. Leonardo looked back up to his mother to see her dull, blue eyes piercing into his. He flinched slightly at the strain and stress buried deep in her tired eyes, but held his stance. She smiled softly at him again, as if to relieve some of the tension. "... Will you be all right?" Leonardo asked her suddenly. The woman closed her eyes again, the smile still lingering in her expression, and nodded.

"I will be fine. I have been alone before, and I know that you will be coming back," she answered. Leonardo nodded again, looking down to the floor. "... Be safe," she added then. "I will see you when you return." Leonardo looked up to her for a short moment before gripping his bow and turning around, securing his quiver on his back and leaving the room. He walked quietly through the estate and out the front doors, sighing slightly to himself as he closed them behind him. He glanced down the road that led to the village for a moment before beginning to follow it, thinking about how he had watched his father and brother make their own way down it barely a week previous.

The boy silently wondered how they were doing, and hoped that they were all right. He knew that the war was getting tough, and he couldn't help but worry more with every passing day, even knowing that it was useless to waste his energy over something he couldn't change. His father was a strong and strict leader, and was probably fine. Latimer was good at supporting people and working with others, and was probably doing all right as well. Leonardo found some peace with these thoughts, and instead of worrying, was able to hope to be as strong as them someday instead. He had to stay composed for his mother, after all, since she was known to worry and stress more than anyone. And even though Leonardo would be gone for awhile, he could hope that his own strength could help his mother despite the distance.

Leonardo set his bow down on his bed as he looked through the things he had left from his previous stay. The tools he used to make bows and arrows were still there, along with a couple of his spare arms and some medicine. As he continued to sift through his things, he was suddenly aware of the door opening and another entering the room. He set down his tools and glanced over to see a middle-aged man standing in the doorway. His clothes were tailored skillfully and with much detail, showing that he was of or close to the same higher class as the boy. "Ah, Leonardo," the man said. "We have been expecting you; it was about time for you to return. Is your family doing well?" Leonardo nodded in a short greeting before answering.

"My father and older brother left for battle a little over a week ago," he answered, standing up straight and turning to face the man.

"Ah, I see," the man responded. "It seemed as if it was about their turn to do so. Well, I'm sure that they are doing just fine. Strong men, they are." Leonardo nodded again, looking back to his things spread out on his bed in an attempt to hide the worry that momentarily returned to his expression. "Your father and I used to train at this school together," the man then continued. "And I started working here while your brother was training. I know their strength first-hand." The man took a few steps towards the younger boy, looking down at the various tools that he had spread out. "Ah, anyway. It seems like you have everything in order." Leonardo reached and gently took his bow into his hand, lifting it slightly as he examined it.

"Yes..." the boy responded quietly at he turned to look back up at the man, who smiled kindly down at him.

"Would you like to get back into practice once you are finished here?" he then asked, and Leonardo nodded once more. "All right, I will see you at the range." The man then turned and headed towards the door, leaving and closing it quietly after him. The younger boy watched after him for a moment before he turned back to sorting through his things. Once he had everything laid out and then put back away in an orderly fashion, he slung his bow over his shoulder and started out of the room to warm up and then meet with the man.

He was waiting at the shooting range like he had said, helping a couple other boys that looked about Leonardo's age, if not a couple years different. The blond recognized them all, as they had been going to this same military school for awhile as well. Though he had not recalled them speaking with him very much if ever. But no one really did; save for the teachers. He made his way over to the range, positioning himself in front of one of the targets. It was littered with punctures from previous arrows, mostly around the edges rather than the center. While waiting for the instructor to come over to him, Leonardo drew a few arrows from his quiver, practicing by himself. With every shot, he took careful aim and concentrated to try and hit the target with precision, though he was only able to hit a few inches from the center at first.

But the young boy didn't give up, instead only trying harder, and only pausing to go up to the target and gather his arrows back into his quiver. He could train rather efficiently alone, since no one else seemed willing to share a target with him and he always had one for himself. Though it was still good to have someone to train with, and because of his lack of a partner, the instructor spent a lot of his time helping out the blond. Once he was finished with the few students he was visiting before, he went over to Leonardo, waiting for him to return from collecting his arrows. The young boy looked up to the man, expecting him to speak. In response to the boy's gaze, the man smiled slightly.

"Have you warmed up?" he asked, and after getting a nod in response, leaned a bit closer to Leonardo and spoke again. "Good. Now, it looks like your aim is getting a bit better, which is good. But you need to learn how to shoot with more precision more quickly," the instructor explained. Leonardo listened closely to everything his instructor said as he spoke, taking everything in. After a short lecture, Leonardo took up practicing again, as the older man watched over and helped him. He fixed his stance, coaching him as he made his shots, until the boy was starting to feel more confident and was able to draw and shoot at a slightly quicker pace.

At the end of the daily training, Leonardo felt as if he had been able to improve, even if it was only slightly. The practice, at the very least, had been able to help him keep his mind off of the worries for his family for a few hours. His instructor praised his improvement before calling the other archery students together for dinner.

He sat alone, as he usually did, but it didn't bother him. Sitting quietly by himself was something that he had grown quite used to, and it wasn't as if that would change any time soon. So he didn't let it get to him. He had his family, and that's all he ever needed. What would he gain from speaking with other children he would never have the time to get to know? The others never wanted anything to do with him in the first place. They hated the skill that he carried, and the way the instructors treated him because of it. But the instructors saw much potential in him, and helped him along more than what was fair to the others.

Leonardo never took much notice to this special attention, and just continued on as normal. He never really understood why the others hated him, but he figured it was just as well. He didn't need them. He had never been friends with someone before, and he didn't see why he had to start now. Even if his brother always told him the opposite. Latimer was always one to go out into the town and talk to the people, something the rest of his family was never comfortable with. The older son was more laid back and friendly because of this behavior, and he was happy that way. Even when their father scolded him, saying that he should spend his time training or with his family, Latimer just wouldn't stay put.

But as far as socialization went, Leonardo stayed more on the side of his father and mother; keeping quiet and obediant, and only speaking when he had to. There wasn't much need for otherwise useless connections. It was something that he always believed.

Everyone returned to their respective quarters after dinner was finished and cleaned up. Many of the other students stayed up with their candles lit, playing around with their roommates instead of resting. Leonardo, having a quiet room to himself, just decided to retire for the night, as he had nothing else to do. But even as he did so, he had trouble sleeping. Being left alone with his thoughts brought the worry creeping back into his mind. With a sigh, the young boy rolled onto his side and pulled his blanket tightly around him, trying to focus on something else so he could get some rest. Still, no matter how hard he tried to take his mind off of the bothersome thoughts, they kept coming back to haunt him.

It had been hours before he decided to light his own candles, almost well after everyone had already extinguished their own. He rose from his bed and went over to a stack of wood he kept there. Grabbing one of the longer pieces, he looked for his carving tools to start working on another bow. He had been getting better at making them lately, and he figured that if he couldn't sleep, he might as well practice.

Leonardo sat back down on his bed, holding the piece of wood firmly in one hand as he began carving with the other. He remembered his lessons as he did so, making sure that he cut each side evenly. It was a long and tedious process, but the boy had enough patience for the task.

He continued carving long into the night, keeping his mind off of the war. By the time he was finally tired enough to fall asleep, the piece of wood had turned into a decent looking bow. Though it wasn't finished yet, Leonardo decided that he should get some rest and that he could finish the bow after training. With a small sigh, the boy put away the wood and his tools before cleaning the wood shavings from the floor, then finally layed back down to rest. He kept the gnawing thoughts away from his mind as best he could until he finally drifted to sleep.

The next few days went by as all of the others did. Training was the same, as were the meals. Leonardo was alone save for the times the instructors were helping him along. After the training was done for the day, when the rest of the students spent their time playing around or sparring with each other, the blond boy slunk off to work on his bow more. He lit a couple of his candles before taking out the wood and the tools. The focus from shooting practice was still in his eyes, and he was able to finish the bow off rather efficiently. A soft knock on his door was the only thing that could tear his eyes from his work, and his teacher soon appeared in the doorway. The older man smiled at the boy before approaching him, looking down at the new bow as he did so.

"Ah, I see that you have been hard at work," the man stated, sitting down next to the student. Leonardo looked up to him and nodded very slightly. "Well, it looks pretty good. May I?" He held his hands out for the bow, and the boy handed it over to him. As the man looked over the bow, Leonardo quietly awaited his criticism. "You should work on the form a little more," the other said after a moment. "It is rather good as is, but you should work on making it more even." He smiled once again at the boy, handing the bow back over. "And don't forget to sand it." Leonardo nodded again, taking the bow back into his own hands.

"I will," he stated simply as he looked down. His teacher continued to smile at his student's progress for a moment longer, until a more serious expression crossed his face.

"How are you fairing?" he asked the boy then, causing the blond to shift his gaze back to the older man. "It has been quite awhile since then, after all." Leonardo hesitated before answering, taking the second to hide any discomfort that shown in his eyes.

"I am well," he said back with an even voice. "I know that they can take care of themselves. I have to focus on my training and my studies more than anything." This brought a slight smile back to his teacher's face.

"And your mother?"

"She..." The boy fell silent, yet still refrained from showing any outwardly signs of worry. "She will be fine, as well." Yet he couldn't help the thoughts that momentarily flooded his mind. His mother was never a very stable person emotionally, and would no doubt be suffering from the gnawing feeling he himself had as of late. But just as he had thought before he left for the school, he would try his best to stay strong for her. Maybe, despite the distance between them, it would do something for her in the end.

"All right." The man lifted himself to his feet, stretching his arms a bit before turning towards the door. "Good to see you are doing well, then. Keep up the good work, Leonardo. I will work with you more in the morning." Leonardo nodded one last time to his mentor as he watched the man leave, closing the door behind him. Taking a glance to his bow, the blond silently decided that he would finish sanding it before he retired for the night. If it would continue to keep his mind off of the thoughts that weighed on his conscience, then it was well worth choosing productivity over sleep.


	2. Chapter I

He dusted the dirt from his clothes, looking up towards the boys that had pushed him down. With a glance back, they all giggled again, and he just looked away. After all, the mistreatment was something he was long since used to. There was no need for him to make a scene over it.

Leonardo instead picked up his newest bow and walked away from the clearing. The blond had just finished discussing his latest craft with his teacher, who once more praised his efforts. It was only to be expected that the others would be jealous. But in their efforts to taunt the blond, they had left the archery range nearly empty, so Leonardo turned his potential anger into appreciation for the solitude. He lifted his new bow and took an arrow from his quiver with his right hand, as the instructor told him the bow was good enough to be tried out. The arrow lodged itself very close to the center of the target, and Leonardo was able to smile slightly to himself. He really was improving; both in the skill of making and using a bow.

The boy continued his practice for the next few hours, trying out both his new bow and the one that he was used to. He shot with his right hand, then moved on to his left. The amount of skill was equal with either. It was one of the things the archery instructors were so amazed by. Though Leonardo didn't think much of it at first, he eventually grew to listen more to the praise, and even appreciate his skill a little better. He practiced with both of his hands equally, making sure that his skill would stay. But this was another thing that the other students were jealous of. Whenever they tried to shoot with their non-dominant hand, it only ended in disaster.

Leonardo was mostly left alone when he first arrived at the school for each session. Eventually, however, the jealousy of the other students would get the better of them and they would start to pick on the quiet boy. It only got worse and worse until it was time for Leonardo to head back home. The instructors barely ever caught wind of such behavior, and the young archer never cared enough to tell them. It would only be a sign of weakness for him.

"Well done, Leonardo!" The student turned, looking up to see his archery instructor smiling down to him. "So, it seems that bow worked out after all." His student smiled slightly back to him and nodded a response. "Good." The older man then looked over to the target, noticing how accurate the boy had gotten with his shots. "You have improved greatly," he stated. Leonardo nodded again, looking back to the target as well.

"Thank you, sir." The man patted Leonardo on the shoulder, looking back to him and smiling once again.

"Now, it's time for dinner. And you deserve a well earned break." He turned after his next statement and started moving away from the area.

"I will be right there," Leonardo responded. He took a moment to gather his arrows from the target before going to his room to drop off his weapons.

It was quiet again that night. Everyone was starting to get more enveloped in their training, and it caused for the students to be quite tired by the time the day was done. But Leonardo found himself once again losing sleep. It had been a long time since his father and brother went off to war. He had lost count of the days awhile ago, yet he couldn't help but to think of them constantly, wondering and worrying. He hoped that they would be able to come home soon. There were many ways that he had improved during his training and he wanted to show them. But more than that, he just wanted them to get home safely and in one piece. It was hard not being in touch with your family sometimes at the school, but everyone was taught to get over it. Himself especially, with all the lecturing he had gotten from his father over the years. Doing well in the school and in his training was supposed to be his greatest concern.

Remembering his father's words eventually led him to get some sleep. He needed to be well rested, after all. The resurfaced worry was once more pushed to the back of his mind for the night.

The morning was all the same. Everyone awoke early to have breakfast, then quickly moved on to warming up and the first parts of their respective classes. Leonardo got all the attention that he normally did, and was picked on for it later in the day. He tried to ignore it as he always did. Everything was normal.

"What is so special about you, anyway?" a boy with dark hair sneered, kicking up some dirt as he spoke. "I bet your family doesn't even have half the money mine does." Leonardo kept his gaze away from the other, turning away more as the dust he kicked up threatened to irritate his eyes.

"Yeah, you're not even that good with a bow," said another. "You may look cool now, but I bet you won't get any stronger. All you can do is fancy little tricks with that mediocre bow of yours." Leonardo still did little to react. He just stood there, waiting for the boys to go away. But the boys only seemed to get angrier at his lack of a reaction.

"Why don't you talk, pretty boy?" the first boy spoke again. "Are you too high and mighty for us or something?" Leonardo still didn't respond. He thought it was ridiculous that the boys were still bothering him when there was so much else they could be doing with their time. They had to leave him alone eventually if he just stayed silent, but after a little while longer, they only became more frustrated. But he just wouldn't react. Not even when they shoved him up against a nearby wall hard enough to hurt. It was only a knock on his shoulder, nothing to cry about. "Such a cheater," the boy sneered again. "There's nothing about you that's real, there can't be." They knocked him against the wall again to hurt his shoulder more, but it was still nothing that would hinder anything he did. Still no reaction.

"Hey boys, cut that out!" Another voice sounded, and this one finally caused Leonardo to look up. The archery instructor came up to them, and stared the boys down until they all felt rather uncomfortable. The students that were in the wrong quickly straightened their stance, and with a rushed "Sorry, sir," left the scene. The teacher sighed and shook his head at them as they went. "Are they always this much trouble?" Leonardo just shrugged. "Well, it'll be taken care of. Anyway, Leonardo, something came in for you today." The boy was silent for a moment, wondering what his teacher meant.

"Something came in for me?" he repeated.

"Yes, a letter. Would you like to see it?" He thought for another moment, this time wondering what the letter said and why he would have recieved one. It worried him, but he wasn't certain if the worry was even justified.

"I will at the end of the day," he decided, and the man nodded.

"All right. Just come to me when you are ready." With a final glance in the direction the troublemakers had gone, the man turned and went off to his work. His words already haunted Leonardo, but he knew he had to complete his daily training before anything else. It might help take his mind off the matter, anyway.

That hope was later proved wrong, however, when he noticed his shooting was off that day. He mentally scolded himself for it, but the thought just wouldn't leave his mind. Why would anyone send him a letter, anyway? What did he need to know? It was probably nothing, though he couldn't help but wonder. Now that the last of his training was done for the day, he could finally go and see.

His teacher handed the letter to him, and the boy looked down to it, noticing the seal that marked it as one from his own household as he opened it. A gnawing feeling rose in his chest as he unfolded the paper. The instructor waited in silence as Leonardo looked over the words. Worry soon joined the strain in his expression, and he didn't even do much to hide it as he finished and closed the letter. "Did something happen?" his teacher asked after a few moments of silence passed them by.

"It's my mother..." Leonardo explained. "She requested that I return home."

What could have happened that he was needed back at home for? He had never been pulled from the school in the past. His father would never hear of it. But if his mother wanted him back for whatever reason, he should probably go. He remembered the frail state that she was always in. How everyone wondered if she would make it through another year, and how there was no way of making sure that she did. It worried him. Yet he felt strange for needing to leave the school so early. His teacher didn't have as much of a problem, however.

"You should go, if you really need," he said, his voice kind. But Leonardo doubted it. This was a military academy, and he couldn't just leave whenever he felt like it.

"Are you sure?" His expression was full of uncertainty as he stared blankly down at the letter.

"Of course. This seems important to you and your family. I will make sure that your absence is excused." It was then Leonardo became vaguely aware of the special treatment he had been receiving from the school; his archery instructor in particular. If he wasn't so worried about his mother, or if he had more time to come to the realization, it would have come to much more of a shock to him. But his mind was too cluttered, and he found it hard enough to think straight as it was.

"I suppose... that I have to." Leonardo tore his eyes from the letter, bowing slightly to the instructor in an apology. "I'm terribly sorry, sir..." But the man just smiled gently to him.

"I already told you, it will be all right here."

He had everything packed and ready to go by the next morning. The worry had only gotten to him more and more overnight, and he was not able to get any much-needed rest. His eyes were fixed on the letter that sat on the table next to his bed. It gave him such a sickly feeling, along with many thoughts of everything that could have possibly gone wrong. With a sigh, the boy forced himself to stand, securing his quiver and wooden bow to his back. He quickly grabbed the letter and put it into his medicine bag, then blew out his candles and left the room. His instructor was waiting for him in the hallway, and smiled upon seeing him, as if it would help lighten the mood. "Don't worry, Leonardo," he tried to reassure him. "I will see you when you return." The boy bowed to him again.

"Thank you... I will be back as soon as I possibly can." His teacher nodded and patted him on the shoulder.

"Best of luck to you." Leonardo departed after that, still unsure of what he was doing. But the longer he traveled, the more his worry gnawed at him, and the more confident he became with his decision.

The house already looked terribly gloomy from the outside. It was cold, and there was no sound coming from it whatsoever. The whole structure just seemed to loom eerily over the surrounding area. Leonardo looked up at it, feeling his chest clench in hesitation. But he finally approached the house after a moment, lifting the heavy wooden doors to let himself inside. The halls were just as void of life as the outside, and the boy felt his heart sink even more. Something had definitely gone wrong. He walked quietly through the house, looking for a sign of where everyone could be. He peeked into each room until he finally spotted his mother at the dining table. There was nothing in front of her; not even a glass of water. Her arms were crossed over the wooden surface, her head resting in them. One of the maids stood solemnly at her side. Leonardo waited a moment before slowly entering the room, trying to erase the stress that surely showed in his eyes.

"Mother?" he spoke softly. The maid turned her head to look at him, but the other took longer to lift her own head and shift her gaze to her son. She seemed awfully sick, more so than usual. Her eyes were dull, her skin completely pale, and it looked as if she hadn't eaten for days. Leonardo felt a rush of horror strike through him as he realized she could finally be dying. If he had come any later, she might have already passed on and there wouldn't have been anything he could have done. But he came just in time; he might be able to help her yet.

"Leonardo..." her voice was strained and she could barely meet his gaze. "I am... so sorry..." Her head fell back down to her arms. The boy looked to her with such sadness in his eyes. There was no reason for her to be sorry, it wasn't her fault. He was just glad that he was able to get there in time, and that she was able to stay strong enough to wait for him. He would do everything he could to help her. Leonardo started to make his way over to her then, but the woman's next words made him stop just as suddenly. "They're gone..."

He stared blankly in her direction as his eyes widened. He knew exactly what her words meant, but he didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be true. But why else would his mother have gotten so sickly all of a sudden? And why would she call him home unless something that terrible happened?

The boy tried to find something to say, but couldn't no matter how hard he searched. They were gone. They were dead. The nightmare he had been pushing to the back of his mind for so long had come true. There was nothing that he could say. He felt his hands start to shake, and grasped at the belt securing his quiver in a feeble attempt to stabilize them. His mother had long since fallen silent; the maid just bowed her head. Leonardo could barely find the strength to keep standing. Every inch of his body was beginning to ache, even though the news hadn't completely sunk in for him yet. Why his father and his brother? They promised him that they would be all right.

"How..." was all he could manage. His voice was weak, and it took all he had left to keep the tears from welling over.

"I... received the notice two weeks ago..." his mother explained weakly. "And that is when... I sent for you..." It was silent again. He felt the tears welling up even more, and he closed his eyes for a moment as if it would stop them. He took in a deep and wavering breath to calm himself before he dared to open them again.

"Mother, you should rest." His voice was stable again. She didn't respond at first, but after a murmur of agreement from her maid, once again lifted her head. Leonardo closed the distance between them and offered his hand out to her in support. The maid helped her stand, as well, and they brought the frail woman up to her room. After they laid her down to rest, Leonardo met with her maid quietly in the hallway.

"Are you all right, young Master?" she asked him once they were alone.

"I should not be your concern right now," Leonardo said back. "How long has she been like this?"

"Well..." the maid sighed and shook her head sadly. "Two weeks ago... when she received the notice. I heard a sound from her room, and when I came up she was..." The maid paused for a moment. "She had collapsed on her floor. I picked her up and brought her to her bed as quickly as I could. But ever since then, she has refused to eat. We have only gotten her to have her dinner a couple of times." Leonardo grabbed at the belt over his chest again, feeling a gripping pain in his heart.

"Is there anything I can do?" There had to be. He couldn't lose her now, not after what he had just heard.

"That is what we hoped... She was only going to write you a letter telling you of the news, but we convinced her to call you back instead... I-I hope it wasn't of a great inconvenience for you."

"No... Thank you." He sighed to himself, his body still shaking slightly from the grief he wasn't allowing himself to show. "Please, call me when she awakes. I have to sort out my things." The maid nodded, and he walked quickly to his own room. His door was thrown open as soon as he got to it, and he just as hastily shut it behind him. Without a moment to waste, the boy went to the far side of his room to put away his weapons and medicine. His heart began to ache more and more with every passing moment. This couldn't possibly be happening. They couldn't be dead. And he wasn't even allowed the time to let it sink in, as he had to stay as strong as he could for his mother.

Taking in a deep breath, he sat at the edge of his bed, trying to compose himself. His eyes still watered and his core still shook. Everything was in a confused mix of fire and ice inside his heart and mind, causing him more distress. He knew it was only going to build up, but he tried to push it away. He wanted the grief to leave him alone. Wanted it to have no reason to be there. It was terrifying, every moment that he sat there in silence. There was no way of knowing how it happened, or what he was supposed to do now. If anything happened to his mother, he would be all alone. So suddenly. It would all be gone. He couldn't let it happen.

_"I don't think any of them like me very much." The red-haired woman turned away from the window in which she was standing and to her youngest son instead, her blue eyes gentle as she looked at him._

_"Why do you say that, Leonardo?" she asked him with a kind and patient tone. The boy looked up from the table to her, his posture straight and his own gaze respectful as he did so._

_"They just treat me... differently. But father says that I do not need them to like me," he responded, and to his mother's slight surprise had barely a trace of sadness in his expression or in his voice. It made her worry about her son, that he wasn't getting along well in his first year at the school, but she knew there wasn't much that she herself could do about it. If the young boy wasn't upset, then she could only hope that it remained that way._

_"Aren't you lonely?" she asked him after a moment. "Latimer has always enjoyed the company of other people. He is even starting to talk and act more like the common folk down at the village."_

_"I know, but I feel differently. Father says that I do not need anyone aside from the three members of my family, and I believe him. I'm not even exactly sure how to go about talking to them."_

_"I see..." The woman sighed slightly to herself, the worry still gripping at her heart. Perhaps her youngest son was much more like her husband than the older; and if that was the case, then at least he would be happy being closed off. Though she wished he would try to be a little more outgoing. Her husband would never agree, but she thought her older son's sociable attitude was much healthier. The woman turned back to the stone window sill, starting again with her tending to a small flower planted there in a decorated ceramic pot. Silence fell between her and her son, but it wasn't uncomfortable. They rarely ever spoke to each other, and even the few words that they exchanged made her feel a bit more assured about their relationship._

_She hummed quietly to herself as she finished tending to the plant, hearing the faint sound of Leonardo working diligently on a bow behind her. The sounds would stop ever so often, showing that the boy had done a part wrong and had to start over. He may have been discouraged by his failures, but everyone was proud of him for already learning the skill._

_The woman smiled slightly to herself at this thought before turning back away from the plant. She started making her way over to the table, though her movements were quickly halted by a sharp pain in her back. Leonardo looked up from his craft in time to see his mother wince, who quickly reacted by putting down the piece of carved wood and hopping up onto his feet. "Mother?" He reached out to gently grab one of her arms and help stabilize her stance. The breath was knocked out of her, and it proved hard to retrieve, but with the aid of her son she was able to make it to the table and sit down to rest. "Are you all right?"_

_"Yes." His mother smiled up to him in assurance. "Thank you." The boy let go of her arm, taking a step back and nodding slightly. Yet despite her assurance the worry was still apparent in his expression. She kept her gentle smile for him, though, as it was her job to do the worrying instead of him, and to calm him when he was even only a little upset. "Don't worry, Leonardo," she started again. "I will be all right. Make sure that you stay strong."_

"Young Master?" The sudden voice shook him from his thoughts. He jumped back onto his feet, feeling much lighter with the load off his back, and quickly made his way over to the door to open it. His mother's maid was standing there, head bowed respectfully upon his appearance. "She awoke a few moments ago." The boy didn't wait another second before he nodded to her, and quickly pushed past the maid to make his way over to his parents' chambers.

The door was already open when he arrived. Leonardo carefully peered into the room, seeing first another one of the maids standing next to his mother's bed; holding a small cup of water in her hands for the lady of the house. The young archer stepped into the room then, seeing his mother's dying body struggling to breathe as she laid there. It was an image that tugged at his heart all over again, and he found himself fighting back a strengthening urge to cry. His mother's dry lips made a few strained movements, causing an unorganized sound that could barely be made out as some sort of an apology.

"Mother?" he called out softly, making his way across the room to close the distance between them. "You have nothing to apologize for." The woman slowly turned her head to the sound of her youngest son's voice, weakly opening her eyes to look up at him.

"Leo... nardo..." The boy's face fell sadly. He lifted his hands to rest them on his mother's, repeating his last sentence as he did so. The woman tried her best to smile at this. "You're so... forgiving..." she struggled. Her son gripped her hand a little tighter, trying to be reassuring.

"You need your strength, mother." She closed her eyes, the smile still on her face, and shook her head slightly.

"Do you remember... what I always told you... L-Leonardo?" The boy hesitated as he thought for a moment, not sure how to answer. She had told him many things over the years; things that kept him standing even when he felt that he was going to fall. Even in her terminally frail state, his mother sometimes seemed to be the strongest out of the four members in his family. "I'm... proud of you..." she continued when her son didn't answer. Leonardo bowed his head sadly as her comment.

"Why, mother?" he asked. "I'm not nearly as strong as you are... or brother and father were." His heart clenched at his own words, and he felt the pain in his chest rise even more as he continued. "And even now, there's nothing I can-" The blond cut himself off, not able to finish the sentence as his emotions threatened to crack his voice. Silence fell once again in the room before the woman was able to muster enough strength to speak again.

"Don't blame yourself... please." He looked back up to her then; pained to see that the smile on her face was gone, and that her dim eyes now reflected more of the grim feelings in his own.

"I'm sorry, mother," he said, closing his eyes. The woman slipped her hand from under her son's and up to his cheek in a weak attempt to comfort him.

"None of this is... your fault, Leonardo. It was already... my time..." Her eyes slowly closed as well, just as her hand fell back against her side and her voice drifted off. The silence returned then, and after a few moments, Leonardo reopened his own eyes to look back to his mother. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her state; drained and unbreathing. It was all he could do not to full out panic as he quickly waved the maid over. Time seemed to race by too quickly; every wasted second gone as if it never even had the chance to be there. The maid did all she could before calling in more people, all of them trying as best they could to revive the lady. Leonardo could barely tell what was going on in his surroundings as he tried to calm himself. He tried to tell himself that everything would be all right, and when he lost the strength to speak aloud hoped the thoughts would somehow reach his mother as well.

The woman's lips moved slightly, mouthing the words that only Leonardo could see in his frozen state. _Stay strong. _One of the maids walked slowly up to the bed, and it was then that the boy realized the room had halted in its earlier frenzy. The maid reached out towards the resting woman, gently taking hold of the sheet and pulling it over her head. He was left alone; the rest of the company leaving not long after to give him some peace.

He fastened the belt for his quiver around his shoulder, securing it before leaning to grab his bow and put it in place. The medicine bag was already on his belt, and aside from that he didn't need much more from what he currently had with him. The walk down the halls of the estate was a silent one. His footsteps barely echoed from the stone flooring as he went, making his way to the heavy wooden doors that marked the entrance. Without a second thought, the blond pushed them aside, stepping out into the cold air. The doors fell closed behind him and he continued out towards the line of trees that surrounded his home.

It was there that he finally stopped and turned, taking one last look at the estate he was leaving. A small breeze blew through the area. The coolness of it set an odd mood, yet it didn't seem to faze the boy as he stood unblinking.

His mother's funeral was only three days prior. Leonardo hadn't spoken a word since the day she passed on quietly in her room. Now, without so much as a note to the ones who worked in the estate, he had packed up his things to move on. Pain bit at his heart and tears began to well in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away, tearing his gaze from the estate and walking onwards. Heading as fast as he could to the only place he had left with no intention of returning.


	3. Chapter II

Ashnard was dead. The news spread through the streets like wildfire, causing them to be filled with the people that lived in them. Many different reactions had come from the various civilians of the country, and most were gathered in the fallen capital where the bulk of the residents took place. But though most of the noise came from Nevassa, the rest of the country was not silent. Even the backstreets of every town were caught up in all the excitement.

Nobody knew what they were supposed to do now. The war was over and the Mad King had fallen, but what of the villagers? There was no one in line to the throne, and after all the damage caused by the opposing army, the country could hardly take on that sort of weakness.

The people gathered in the streets of the capital were all speaking of this concern to some degree; some being a bit more aggressive and angry than the others. Fear and worry filled the air as well. Many shouted; others whispered among themselves. A few fights even broke out, but they were quickly broken up as the more peaceful residents pointed out that they all had to stick together in a situation as unclear as this.

A silent observer of the situation stood not too far away, hiding halfway behind a wall where no one noticed him in their near-state of panic. He was a young boy with short brown hair and grey eyes, staring at the people of the capital as they continued their frenzy. The rags he wore were an indication that he lived lower than even the poorest of classes. Two belts across his shoulders secured a sword to his back, and he clutched one of them tightly with his fist. Disappointment shown in his eyes as he quietly watched the other villagers.

Before the news of the former King's demise, a rumor was going about that the army was recruiting anyone that had skill with a weapon. In hopes of pursuing a new and better lifestyle, the young boy had picked up a sword that was left behind by some bandits which used to take residence in the back alleys. Even though the sword was heavy and unfitting for him, he began to train with it day after day, striving to become worthy of a spot in the army. But now that the war was over, there was no chance of him being recruited, and the boy was stuck in the same miserable spot that he always had been.

Yet the disappointment in his eyes quickly diminished as he pushed himself away from the wall and snuck back into the backstreets in which he lived. Instead of giving up, this was only an excuse to keep pushing forward. The challenge would make him stronger in the end, after all. He was able to go on with this same optimism that he had kept throughout the years he lived on the streets alone.

Even when the times got tough on his end; needing to survive through seemingly endless Daein winters without much means of food or shelter along with countless clashes with bandits and thieves in the alleyways, he had gotten through it all. The villagers all had different opinions of him. Some were sympathetic, and helped him by offering food or clothing whenever he passed through. Others hated his presence, being unable to see past his thievery in the instances where it was his only choice for survival. The boy didn't really mind either way, though he was thankful for the aid when it was offered. He never spent much of his time in one place, and because of that didn't have to deal with the same people for extended amounts of time.

He was fairly well-known amongst some of the villagers, more so in areas that he frequented more than the others. Nobody ever saw him with anyone that could have resembled a parental figure, and it was simultaneously agreed upon the fact that he was an orphan. Over the years, between the few temporary friends he had and the villagers, the boy had become known by the name of 'Eddie'. It was convenient for the residents that wanted to remember him and have something to call him by. For the boy himself, the name was simply something that he grew used to.

Eddie was pretty outgoing, and knew some of the nicer villagers about as well as they knew him, little though that was. He spent most of his time in the backstreets, however, as it was safer for him in the long run. It was a less likely spot to run into some angry resident that was after him.

The boy was in the backstreets again as he normally was, walking alongside a wall as the sounds from the main streets still rang in his ears. His hand was still clutched around a belt that secured his blade. He watched his bare feet as he went, moving his free hand up to his stomach as if it would stop its growling. With the way the villagers were all distracted, it would be easy for him to get away with something to eat. But he didn't feel up for it. Instead, he wanted to get back into his training as soon as he could. Another opportunity was sure to rise at some point; and when it did, he would be strong enough to take it up right away.

First things first; he had to get away from all the noise. Eddie knew the streets of the capital better than the back of his own hand, so this task wasn't much of chore to him. After slipping through a few narrow gaps in the walls and past a few more backstreets, he was at a small and quiet clearing that many people either forgot about or didn't know existed. It was the area he spent most of his time at whenever he passed through this side of Nevassa. There were plenty of obstacles in the area that made training more interesting. It was one of the reasons the small clearing was one of his favorite places to be. He reached behind his shoulder with one hand, grabbing hold of the sword and pulling it from the scabbard on his back. The boy warmed up by taking a few practice swings before attacking a few of the larger objects that were found around the clearing. It was the training that he always went through in this area, and he was pleased to find that pushing himself was becoming easier with every visit.

It didn't feel like it had been all that long since the King had fallen. But it must have been time enough, as the streets were finally beginning to settle down. Of course, the concern of the people didn't fade, only their energy did. They didn't have much to spare from the war, after all. Things were slowly starting to get back to normal; or at least, as normal as they could. But there was still nothing decided in regards to the future of the country. Anger and concern was turning to fear, and it seemed as if some of the villagers would give anything to live a perfectly normal life again. The road ahead being so terribly unclear was almost more uncomfortable than the battles themselves.

But at the very least, life didn't change too much for the people stuck on the streets. Eddie wasn't concerned as much with who ruled over the country as he was about his training, or finding something to eat and a place to sleep. His way of living had barely any difference than it did before the Mad King's War. He did see the worry of the other villagers, however, and it did more or less affect him in a way. In the times when people were nice enough to give him a place to sleep for a night, he had heard the adults speaking quietly of the situation amongst themselves. It certainly was troublesome. He could only hope that a solution was found soon. And maybe he could even be a part of it, and start on with the new life he had been training so hard to achieve.

These hopes drove him to train even more, trying to become stronger quickly. He wasn't going to fail this time, he was sure of it. The boy continued to move around Nevassa as he normally did, training in his various hideouts just as usual. Everywhere he went, the story was the same. The fear of the people was the one thing that never changed. They were all still talking about it, and probably always would be. Eddie started to wonder just when someone was going to actually do something about it. But was there anything they could do?

He tried not to think about it too much. If an opportunity arose, then he would surely take it. But until then, all he could do was continue living for himself. The nights were soon to start growing longer, and he had to prepare for another winter on the streets. As did the rest of the country. They still hadn't done anything to recover from the war.

Eddie was walking along an old side street that was very familiar to him. It was often quiet back there, and this particular evening was no different. He had been training all day and was just trying to find a place to stay for the night. The sky was already turning a different color, and there shouldn't have been much interference. Eddie yawned widely, stretching his arms up as he did so. His own footsteps made barely any noise against the walls the lined the street, and the silence was soothing somehow. Even when his own footsteps were accompanied suddenly but a few sets of others, it took him a moment before he noticed.

But when the realization did come to him, the boy was immediately alert. He reached for the sword on his back as a defensive instinct, all the while moving to the closest wall and pressing against it. He kept still after that, listening closely to where the sound could be coming from. There was no one up or down the side street that he was along, and it didn't take too awful long before he heard them around the next corner. The footsteps were fast, and they were quickly growing louder. As they grew closer, it was easy to hear that there wasn't only one set of them, but as many as three others followed. Slowly, but without much hesitation, the boy crept along the wall, nearing the corner that the sounds were heard around. There was shouting then, and the frantic running came to a standstill. He knew that whoever was there stood just around the bend.

Eddie closed the distance he had with the corner, and didn't waste a moment before peeking around it. The first thing he saw was three tall soldiers; all armed and clad in red armor. They all stood around a village woman that they had backed up against a wall. The woman looked frightened, but she was holding her ground, fighting back against them when they grabbed her arm to try and lead her away. She wasn't going to let them take her, that much was obvious, even when she was outnumbered and standing alone. Eddie didn't recognize the soldiers' armor as being that of the Daein army, and he immediately knew that something was wrong. He considered drawing his sword and helping the woman, but the moment he jumped out from behind the wall was a moment too late.

One of the three soldiers had had enough with the woman's defiance, and lifted his lance into the air; only to bring it back down upon her. She shrieked in pain, and though he knew that there must have been a splattering of blood, the boy had barely enough time to see it before the other two soldiers spotted him and shouted out a warning to the other. At this point, he was too shocked to think of any other reaction that wasn't 'run', and so he did just that. Turning quickly on his heels and bolting back to the side street in which he came. Though he regretted his decision as soon as he made it. He could have taken on those soldiers easily with all the training he had been doing. But it was too late for that now. Two of them where chasing right behind, and if he took the moment to turn and draw his sword, it would be enough time for them to catch up and kill him with their ready weapons. But he still had the advantage if he kept going. He was sure to know the streets better than they did.

Right as they caught up enough to reach out and grab him, Eddie made a sharp turn and leapt up onto one of the walls, scrabbling up it and over the soldiers' heads. He turned around to look down at them as he balanced at the precarious height, and they cursed at him, threatening to knock him down if he didn't climb back to the ground himself. But of course, he didn't listen to the strange men, and instead took off running again. He was able to keep his footing, even on the wall that was barely wider than his feet. The soldiers tried to continue their pursuit of him, but he knew too many of the twists and turns of the alleyways for them to keep up, and they eventually dispersed out of frustration.

For the most part, the boy was relieved when he noticed they were gone. Yet he couldn't shake the image of their murder of the village woman from his mind. It haunted him and left an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. The scene had gone by much too quickly; it was almost surreal. But it was enough to tell him that something had gone terribly wrong. Was there some information going around the capital that he missed? Or would the other villagers be just as surprised of this occurrence as he was? The armor that they wore was dreadfully unfamiliar, yet it reminded him of the war that had taken place barely any time ago. The soldiers in armor of mostly black and white fighting against each other in the streets. But the war was over now. What could that possibly have been?

The thoughts nagged at him for quite awhile, and it took some time before he finally came down from the wall and back into the streets. By now, he decided that he had to find someone he knew and could talk to, though the number of people that qualified was rather small. Even if he had to travel to the other side of Nevassa, he had to see if someone knew what was going on. With any luck, he would pick up on any rumors that were going around and wouldn't have to go that far. But either way, he had to come in contact with some source of information.

Any exhaustion he had already left him in the previous event, and so, he was ready to start traveling as soon as the decision was made. He was more alert as he walked this time, listening for any sounds and looking for any signs of the soldier's return. He could only hope that this was all figured out for him soon. He didn't want to see anyone else get hurt for no reason, and if he had to, he would fight against those strange red soldiers himself the next time he came across them.


End file.
